“The pandemic and the containment allowed us to take a look at this job that we have been passionate about for over 16 years, that of cosmetic product formulator. We offer you a retrospective of this profession that has stood the test of time.”” Estelle Dehier, from Labosphere, analyses the changes in the profession of formulator, which is still highly demanding.
As we like to say and repeat, formulation is “the art of mixing”!
This profession has existed since the dawn of time, let’s not forget that the first creators of cosmetic products were the Egyptians.
This “activity” was initially learned on the job, often by qualified chemists who put their knowledge at the service of the cosmetics industry. Galenics is not a science of chance. It is not enough to take a few raw materials and mix them together (in the case of emulsions, for example). It is absolutely necessary to know the profile of the molecules used in order to foresee potential chemical incompatibilities. The formulation of cosmetic products is a fully scientific activity for which, it must be admitted, an empirical part persists.
Each component of a formula must be carefully and intelligently selected so as to add real value to the written formula. To quote our Scientific Director, Corinne Rodriguez, “We have to ‘visualise’ the formula that is written. It has to speak to us”““.
In addition to knowledge of the raw materials, the formulator must use his or her experience feedback to design the best possible combination, which is then called “THE formula”, taking into account …
